who may be imprisoned on criminal charges, shall, when his deposition is being taken before any auditor of this royal Audiencia, stand and bare his head, until such time as his deposition is ended.  And, in order that this may come to the knowledge of everyone, it shall be made known to the commissioners and attorneys of this royal Audiencia, who shall give notice of the provisions of this act to such persons, whenever occasion shall arise, so that it may be observed.  By this act they so provided, ordered, and decreed.

Don Francisco Tello Doctor Antonio de Morga The licentiate Tellez Almazan The licentiate Cambrano

Before me: 

Pedro Hurtado Desquibel

An act decreeing that no attorney shall enter a petition in a new suit between Indians, without first communicating it to the auditor for that week.

In the city of Manila, on the seventh of January, one thousand five hundred and ninety-nine, the president and auditors of the royal Audiencia of the Philipinas Islands declared that, whereas in this royal Audiencia there are brought and considered suits and causes for small amounts among the natives of these islands, in which they incur heavy costs, whereby they receive great injury and vexation:  therefore, they ordered, and they did so order, that no prosecuting attorney of this royal Audiencia shall bring therein a new suit or petition for an Indian, without first and foremost bringing it before this royal Audiencia, or before the auditor for the week, in order that the latter may determine whether the suit be a proper one—­under a penalty of a fine of six pesos of common gold, immediately upon the conviction of anyone who may disobey this decree; one-third to go to the receiver of fines, another third to the royal hospital, and the other third to the poor in the prison.  By this act they so declared ordered, and decreed.

Before me: 

Pedro Hurtado Desquibel

An act decreeing that the royal officials, in the sale of gold and other goods, from the royal exchequer, see that it be done for cash, and not auctioned to creditors of the exchequer, in order that the latter may receive their money.

In the city of Manila, on the seventh of January, one thousand five hundred and ninety-nine, the president and auditors of the royal Audiencia of the Philipinas Islands declared that, whereas on account of his Majesty’s royal exchequer of these islands being, as it now is, embarrassed with many debts, it cannot succeed in paying its creditors what it thus owes them—­which results from the fact that some of the said creditors, in order to have their accounts paid to them, present themselves at the royal auctions which are held for the sale of gold, cotton cloth, and other goods collected from the tributes pertaining to the royal crown, and bid on such articles, at higher prices than would be given if they were paying in cash, in order to receive